[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 77 (Thursday, May 30, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E961-E962]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO THE BEACH HOUSE

                                 ______


                           HON. MARCY KAPTUR

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 30, 1996

  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a Toledo 
institution which has been serving women and their families for 75 
years. The Beach House has worked to meet the needs of our city's 
homeless women, children, and entire families.
  Our Nation's lack of affordable housing is a crucial problem and a 
principal reason why women often find themselves and their families 
without shelter. Beach House provides emergency shelter for 30 days in 
a clean and safe environment with 24-hour supervision 365 days a year. 
An on-staff licensed social worker helps clients to establish a plan of 
action, which includes finding housing and making referrals to other 
agencies for needed assistance.
  Beach House opened its doors in May, 1921, under the guiding hand of 
Mrs. Helen Beach Jones, the wife of Toledo's Mayor ``Golden Rule'' 
Jones. Mrs. Jones worked with several women's organizations to 
establish the shelter, and named it Beach House in honor of her mother 
Harriet Beach. In 1982, the shelter expanded its clientele to include 
fathers and husbands in order to keep homeless families intact.
  The Women's Protective Association has governed and managed the 
shelter from its inception. In 1941, Beach House moved to its present 
location, and in 1963, it received a charter as a nonprofit 
organization. A recent complete remodeling of the shelter has made it 
accessible to disabled persons.
  Beach House also operates a transitional shelter project called 
Steinquest House that allows qualifying women and families to continue 
supportive services for up to 24 months.
  Mr. Speaker, at 75, Beach House is a wonderful example of a community 
helping its own. It has seen good times and bad times. It has seen 
depression and war, and throughout its years Beach House has served the 
women of Toledo and their families with steadfastness and with 
compassion. I commend Beach House to my colleagues. We know it will be 
there whenever there is need.

[[Page E962]]



                 TRIBUTE TO JESSICA AND BRUCE POMERANTZ

                                 ______


                       HON. ROBERT G. TORRICELLI

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 30, 1996

  Mr. TORRICELLI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the AIDS Walk 
organized by Jessica Pomerantz of Cresskill High School on Sunday, June 
2. The scourge of AIDS has left few homes and families unscathed by its 
wrath. The most recent figures available estimate that nearly one-half 
of a million people have been stricken with AIDS, and it is now the 
leading cause of death among young to middle-aged Americans. The most 
frightening aspect of the disease is its failure to discriminate among 
its victims. From heterosexuals, to homosexuals, to African-Americans, 
to Latinos, all identifiable groups have found themselves its targets.
  My greatest concern, however, is the toll that has been taken on the 
female population. AIDS is now the fourth most common cause of death 
among American women. In the State of New Jersey, the situation has 
been particularly grim. Sadly, New Jersey has one of the highest rates 
of heterosexual transmission in the Nation. Of these cases, an 
overwhelming majority are women, and the numbers will only increase. 
Women account for more than one-third of the total number of HIV-
positive adults in New Jersey. More significantly, over one-quarter of 
New Jersey's full-blown AIDS patients are women--the highest rate in 
the country.
  Nationwide, the condition surrounding minorities has been equally 
bleak. Rates of African-Americans and Latinos with AIDS, for example, 
continue to increase steadily. New Jersey mirrors this national 
picture. Statistics demonstrate that minority women in the State have 
been particularly hard hit. Together, African-American and Latino women 
accounted for more than three-quarters of all female AIDS cases in New 
Jersey last year.
  Educating the public about these problems, as well as preventive 
measures, will do a great deal to begin curbing the spread of AIDS. 
Some progress has been made already as rates of transmission through 
injection drug use have decreased. However, a great deal of work 
remains to be done.
  For this reason, Jessica and Bruce Pomerantz are to be congratulated 
for their efforts on behalf of the AIDS Walk to bring these issues to 
the forefront of our national consciousness. In order to effect real 
change in this country, it is essential that more concerned citizens 
like Jessica and Bruce act to heighten our awareness of the startling 
facts. The victimization of women and minorities should not be allowed 
to continue any more.

                          ____________________